When talking about Kumho Tires it is not enough to call them dependable or value-oriented products with great design and technology It's true but misses what makes Kumho unique in the tire world This brand is not only one of the leading OEM suppliers and you would be amazed to know which car companies use Kumho rubber on brand-new cars but also an emerging force in the performance tire market Establishing itself in this market is particularly interesting since it shows the brand's ambition and innovative approach to specific segments and customers Kumho recently announced three exciting tire models for the 2025 model year - Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 the more advanced Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72 let's see why these models could be a new benchmark for performance rubber and enthusiast choice when it comes to spirited driving Even though summer tires are often referred to as performance rubber Performance tires have more advanced construction and compound than standard summer tires and a pattern (directional or asymmetric) designed to maximize performance All of that is needed to increase the rubber-to-road ratio and enhance grip and braking capabilities One of the main construction features is reinforced sidewalls for better handling and reduced flex Performance tires often have lower aspect ratios (shorter sidewalls) which contribute to precise steering and a sporty appearance The rubber compound is just as important as the construction The rubber in performance tires is often softer and capable of enduring high temperatures; the pliable and sticky rubber is crucial for enhanced handling on dry and wet pavement the performance ties are designed for handling and precision steering The performance rubber will also provide more grip in the corners A new lineup of advanced performance tires by Kumho was announced at the SEMA show in late 2024 and immediately met universal interest from performance car enthusiasts a range of dedicated performance tires is something very exciting The company has announced that AI technology's longstanding OEM experience and connection with leading car companies helped design and engineer the new performance tires let's see what Kumho has prepared for 2025 The first in the lineup is a pair of summer performance tires called Ecta Sport PS72 and Ecta Sport S PS72 With similar construction but slightly different rubber compounds both tires are designed to be capable and surefooted on dry and wet surfaces the tread design is enhanced to allow faster water excavation with sharp edges of the tread blocks to prevent hydroplaning these tires provide high levels of grip and braking capabilities Both tires will be delivered with a 30,000-mile warranty The Kumho Ecta Sport PS72 will be available in 56 different sizes Kumho is proud to announce that this tire can meet performance requirements for modern sports cars This tire is ideal for affordable US sports cars and hot hatch models and Ford Mustang EcoBoost will benefit from this tire and its capabilities We are talking about models that have up to 350 hp and are everyday enthusiast models the Kumho Ecta Sport S PS72 is a step above this tire is clearly aimed at more powerful and expensive sports machines like the Ford Mustang GT The Ecta Sport S PS72 is more appropriate for cars with a higher level of horsepower As one of the biggest OEM suppliers in the car tire business Kumho knows that all-season tires are the standard and dependable choice for moderate climates and everyday drivers Kumho's Ecsta Sport PA71 is built to endure boasting a remarkable 50,000-mile treadwear warranty This tire is designed to handle the demands of modern high-performance vehicles and prioritizes comfort Its innovative rounded edges and unique dimple pattern are engineered to disrupt airflow effectively reducing road noise for a quieter driving experience the Ecsta Sport All-Season PA71 provides versatility for a variety of vehicles NOTE: This is sponsored content produced in partnership with Tires Easy More by AutoGuide.com Staff the ONLY tires that I can find are called ECSTA not ECTA????????? Don't writers check their facts and work now a days????? Energy efficiency has recently become a very hot topic but Kuhmo sawmill has always paid attention to its energy usage actively looking for ways to optimize and reduce consumption One of the energy-efficient solutions implemented at the sawmill – which is located around 500 kilometers northeast of Helsinki – has been to use ultra-premium efficient motors and drives in all relevant applications and efforts to save energy are a key aspect of doing business in a responsible and environmentally friendly way We aim to adopt the most energy-efficient solutions and this strategy has naturally helped us reduce our energy costs," says Tommi Ruha "We’ve followed how the technology of motors and drives has developed and we’ve sought to utilize the latest optimized products," says Heikki Soininen SynRM motors and ACS880 industrial drives have always been an important part of the sawmill's energy efficiency toolkit In 2017 ABB introduced IE5 ultra-premium efficiency SynRM motors with an option that makes them ideal for the timber drying application and Kuhmo was the first sawmill in the world to install them in its drying process "At that time energy prices were at their normal levels but Kuhmo were a step ahead with their strategy of saving energy by using ultra-premium efficient motors They were pioneers who showed other timber producers the way forwards," says Olli-Petteri Karjalainen Major investment in energy-efficient production Kuhmo is currently upgrading its entire sawmill with a EUR 50 million investment program a new sawmill intake and a packaging plant have been built A new saw line and two new channel dryers are under construction The investments will increase Kuhmo’s annual production of sawn pine and spruce to 600,000 cubic meters "Almost all the dryer applications will be powered by SynRM motors and drives we’ll be using regenerative drives – a new technology for us – at appropriate points in the process," Ruha explains ABB's regenerative drives enable the energy normally lost in braking to be recovered and this will reduce the need for cooling in areas where drives are installed High efficiency motors make big energy savings possible and when these savings are scaled up to plant level Kuhmo could reduce its energy costs by a six-figure amount in the first couple of years alone The company has significant heat and electricity production on site The power plant utilizes bark and wood chips which are by-products of the sawmill’s processes to generate all the heat energy and up to 70 percent of the electricity required annually "We aim for energy efficiency throughout our process - from the moment the raw material enters to the point where the final product leaves," says Ruha and it will become even more important in the future This is the way all businesses should operate: we should all strive to be responsible and use resources efficiently." ABB's website uses cookies. By staying here you are agreeing to our use of cookies. I agree Join us at the Akustika Fair at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre from April 4-6 Meet The Strad team at stand F08 and pick up a free copy of the magazine The Strad Directory Jobs Fully immersed in the music and the beauty of Kuhmo violinist Hiu Sing Fan talks about his experience at this all encompassing musical experience Read more student and player experiences in our Education Hub The Kuhmo Festival and courses are known the world over for their quality I was lucky enough to be sponsored by the Musicus society in Hong Kong to attend in 2022 In Kuhmo you are completely immersed in music and I can’t overstate how beautiful the place is and how friendly the people are Having the festival running simultaneously during the course is a big bonus Not only can you see countless concerts for free It’s incredible how they go straight from rehearsal and concerts to lessons I remember having one lesson at 8pm after my teacher’s concert have breakfast in the cafeteria – where the artists would also eat – then start my musical day I had my lessons with my wonderful teachers Mi-Kyung Lee and Marc Danel went to concerts and made use of the many practice rooms available I also enjoyed the integration of Finnish culture would be asked to take off our shoes for rehearsals and concerts It was the first time I’d ever performed in socks A very special part of the course is to experience the true musicianship of the artists and teachers Music is so embedded in the way they act and think and it’s very inspiring as a young musician to see this you see them riding bikes and just going about their lives and they are very open to answering any questions It doesn’t feel like a student–teacher relationship meet beautiful musicians and are in a beautiful place: what more could you ask for Read: ‘Maybe the things we worry about are not the ones that matter to the music’ - Pekka Kuusisto: The Master Storyteller Read: My Experience: Animato Quartet, Verbier Festival Academy ’You get these crazy mashups of people who will never play together anywhere else and your mind is just blown every set,’ says Breen ’Prussia Cove was a chance for us to escape from the hectic touring lifestyle and go deeper into the music,’ says the cellist of the Fibonacci Quartet ‘Even though we come from all these different places we’re all just really big music nerds!’ says Sloley ’It’s nice to be part of a motivated community and that gives you a lot of hope,’ says the cellist ’What’s quite special here is that you can define your own path that’s been chamber music,’ says the violist with many music festivals and concerts throughout the year and Salzburg is also so pretty – like a fairytale cake!’ says the violinist Site powered by Webvision Cloud Text description provided by the architects. Tuupala elementary school and daycare center is the first CLT school building in Finland. Right around the time the design process started, Finland's first CLT factory was kicking off it's production. The factory is located in Kuhmo, thus making CLT a natural choice for the school's construction material. The building is located between a large junior high school built in the 50's, and a small-scale museum area with historical timber buildings. The new elementary school's program is divided into three blocks of timber. With canopies and outdoor storage rooms the building connects different scales surrounding the building and creates small scaled, child-sized outdoor spaces. © Ville-Pekka IkolaExterior architecture is amicable, straightforward and mundane – in a good sense of the word. Even though the basic quality of the architecture is modest, the aim was to create high-end architecture by means of detailing, materiality and coherent language of architecture throughout the building. © Ville-Pekka IkolaThe most notable feature of the building is the load-bearing CLT-structure that reflects to the facade of the building as well: where there is CLT-panel, there is solid spruce siding on the facade. Naturally anodised sheets of aluminium and windows create the rythm of the composition filling the spaces between solid wood. Material palette is scanty, natural and honest both inside and out. Entrances are highlighted with colors. SectionsBeing a massive wood construction the building removes over 2700 tons of carbon off the athmosphere equivalent to driving a car for 21 million kilometers sustainability and locality were key ideas in designing Tuupala Elementary School You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced today that Kuhmo Tire USA Inc has voluntarily recalled at least 1,238 tires after it was discovered that specific models were experiencing air loss during vehicle operation the affected tire line and model are the KUMHO SOLUS KH25/225/45R17 which were manufactured and produced between August 21 It is believed that only 122 of the tires have actually been sold A manufacturing defect in the tires has developed an issue with cracking in the sidewall which is not always immediately recognizable and can lead to tire failure Representatives from Kuhmo will contact consumers who have purchased these tires individually and the company will replace them at no expense to the consumer consumers are encouraged to contact Kuhmo at (909) 428-3999 or the NHTSA at (888) 327-4236 multiple automobile manufacturers in China recalled more than 75,000 vehicles because of defective Kuhmo tires The issue leading to that recall dealt with too much rework rubber in the manufacturing process which led to rapid deterioration in the tread while the tires were in use The defect came to light after a police car in China suffered a blowout that resulted in the death of the police officer driving the vehicle Kuhmo recalled 36,292 Mohave A/T light truck all-terrain tires because they caused truck drivers to experience swaying and general loss of vehicle control when carrying large loads which could have caused a substantial number of automobile accidents Kuhmo’s manufacturing facilities are located in South Korea the company opened its first American factory in Macon We service all of Florida but we are centrally located at: PHONE: (407) 648-5977 MAPS & DIRECTIONS Other locations we service are Texas, New Mexico, Oregon, & U.S. Virgin Islands. ©2023 Newsome | Melton Law. All Rights Reserved. the individual has applied for asylum in Finland Open image viewerThe closed border crossing post of Vartius in Kuhmo STT24.8.2024 15:22The Kainuu Border Guard reported on Friday it apprehended a person in Kuhmo suspected of illegally crossing the border from Russia into Finland Border Guard patrols apprehended the person in the morning near the border The person had crossed the border by land and The Border Guard has opened a preliminary investigation into the case Personnel from the Kainuu Border Guard have been in contact with their counterparts in the Kalevala region of Russia's Republic of Karelia Earlier this summer, Parliament approved amendments to the Border Act which allow the Finnish Border Guard to refuse to accept asylum applications under certain circumstances Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) said earlier this month that the border between Russia and Finland would likely remain closed for the foreseeable future You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Patience paid off for photographer Tero Pylkkanen who recently spent hours hunkered in a hide in Kuhmo Finland to capture some remarkable footage of brawling brown bears "I was in the bear hide with my family and these two bears were following each other [for] maybe a couple of hours, and then luckily they took action in front of our hide,” Pylkkanen told PetaPixel It took about an hour for the first bear to turn up in the patch of Finnish forest where Pylkkanen and his family were camped out These apex predators start showing up in early April in Kuhmo and stick around until October at which point they retreat to hibernation dens for the chilly winter months Bear brawls are more common during May and June when females are in oestrus and competition for mating rights is at its height An hour later a second braun entered the scene and the bears began sizing each other up but they do typically adhere to a hierarchy: mature males are at the top subadults and cubs take a lower position in the social standings Bears may clash if a dominant male feels the need to assert his authority or a female goes on the offensive to protect her cubs Adult males can be particularly aggressive and are often avoided by smaller individuals It would be another two hours before the brawl broke out Pylkkanen and his family watched with bated breath as the bears began bawling at each other in a pre-clash chorus that ripped through the forest The smaller of the two tried to shield itself behind a tree but the dominant male was having none of it over 1000 kilograms of brawn tussling and turning in a tense showdown while the defeated bear – its nose bloodied from the fight – sprinted away it is unlikely that either bear was severely injured dominance battles are more about asserting authority than actually risking injury in a full-blown fight voices get lost and some stories are never heard That’s especially true of our planet’s countless wild species: big and small For our growing team of writers and contributors those are the stories that matter most: we dedicate our time to them all day and every day nature is our niche – and we love it that way are passionate about these stories we tell Take your passion further by supporting and driving more of the nature news you know and love On a recent trip to Alaska's Katmai National Park wildlife photographer Brad Josephs and his team witnessed two grizzly bears battling over salmon.. The jury is still on this video's authenticity How do you tell a defensive black bear from a predatory one What should you do if you're facing a bluff charge Finland overtook Norway as the happiest country to live in according to a UN report But what are the reasons for people’s happiness there ‘Feeling the environment with all your senses is wonderful’: Katri Konttinen RovaniemiThe most important thing for me is the nature here We have four beautiful and different seasons and currently we are heading towards spring after a dark winter The sun feels warm and people are enjoying the beautiful frosty days outdoors I would describe my home town Rovaniemi as a winter town where the weather is enjoyed both by the locals and visitors When you see the sky full of stars or manage to catch the northern lights Nature provides us with multiple ways to enjoy it during the seasons In the winter people go outside skiing or ice fishing and they enjoy berry and mushroom picking during the late summer and autumn Going outdoors to a forest or on a frozen lake creates a massive feeling of happiness You find yourself in totally quiet surroundings where you can feel the environment with all your senses and it is wonderful I would also say that though we are a small nation we have a very rich language. There are many dialects in Finland and it is great to hear them spoken Finland is a bilingual country and Swedish is spoken as the main language in some parts of the country As Finnish is a small language we start to learn other languages quite early at school which from my point of view is a very good thing freedom and many other things that make Finland a lovable place to live in Lake near Lentiira Finland Photograph: Sabrina LogeaisI am originally from France and I’ve been living in east Finland for 20 years in a small village and buses are only available during school timewith one in the morning and one in the afternoon I think it’s the culture and the way of living close to nature that makes Finland the happiest country People respect each other and are happy with what they have and don’t think about what they could have I bought a building that was owned by the town and some of villagers helped me paint it We often have long cold winters and there are a lot of mosquitoes in the summer but it could be worse Melissa’s son Milo plays in the snow Photograph: Melissa GeorgiouThere are a few main factors that make Finns so happy and it’s not the grey Helsinki weather There’s a culture of trust and a lack of corruption It doesn’t matter how much wealth you have These are very high but so are the benefits in return People aren’t worried about their basic needs not being met Finland has also struck the right balance between learning and play in their education system Learning is of ultimate value but so is play Both are offered by the education system in equal measure Hanna’s daughter enjoying the summer weather in Finland Photograph: Hanna PajulammiWe Finns are happy because of high taxes Of course I’d like to keep more of my income but it makes it easier for people to live stress free getting sick won’t necessarily mean bankruptcy Every single citizen is entitled to equal and world class quality treatment for next to nothing and only a fraction of the real cost to families with high incomes Our gender equality is nowhere near perfect but still very good compared to other countries As a doctor I never have the need to prove myself or justify my actions because of my gender So combining career and family life is very much possible We have a fair amount of paid annual leave and I’m taking five days right now to ski with my family in Lapland Five days surrounded by beautiful and clean arctic nature Eerika Roos-Kulvik and her daughter forming a heart with their arms while snowboarding Photograph: Eerika Roos-KulvikIt’s about so many things pollution or homeless people living on the streets Our country is safe and you can trust the police and the law Everything works and people mostly play by the rules We are quite honest and we don’t do small talk - we tell it how it is We have complete access to the internet and every citizen is equal; we have free healthcare free education from elementary to university and Finland is one of the world’s safest places to give birth or to be born and since then we have had a woman as a president and a prime minister I like to think that we are well educated and open minded Check out our list of ten premieres taking place at festivals across the world this season Some of the festivals and people mentioned in this list: (clockwise from top left) Verbier Festival stage Edinburgh International Festival concert hall cellist Sol Gabetta and the Royal Albert Hall (home of the BBC Proms) Discover more Featured Stories like this in The Strad Playing Hub Summer festival season (apologies to those in the southern hemisphere) has well and truly started Whether you’re surrounded by the Swiss Alps at the Verbier Festival or on a packed London double decker bound for the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall you’re sure to see the world’s very best musicians in action this summer This past weekend,The Strad attended the opening of the Chigiana International Festival in Siena, Italy (see our Instagram reel here) Within just two days of its opening I had already heard two world premieres how many more premieres are going on this summer While not all summer festivals concentrate on contemporary music it is an increasingly important part of many festivals’ ethos and plans for the future Premieres allow us to be not only exposed to the best musicians here are ten string premieres coming up this summer The New York-based PUBLIQuartet is returning to Newport Classical with the world premiere of Brazilian-US composer Clarice Assad’s new work for string quartet and mezzo-soprano: Chronicles of Ghosts | Chapter III: Whispers from the Pirate Queen The work is based on two trailblazing women: Grace O’Malley the two women share their struggles and triumphs spotlighing the power of sisterhood. Concert information here Concert information here By far the youngest composer in this list is Georgian composer Tsotne Zedginidze His compositional style is influenced by Georgian folkloric music Its world premiere will be performed at none other than the Verbier Festival by a stellar cast of Michael Barenboim on violin Concert information here Co-artistic directors of the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival in Finland violinists Minna Pensola and Antti Tikkanen will perform the world premiere of Finnish composer Lotta Wennäkoski’s new work for two violins at their festival this summer called Sic (‘to sic’ in Latin means ‘to incite’ in English) is written with the idea of gestures and reactions between the two violinists in mind. Concert information here I feel an obligation to include at least one Australian concert even if only out of resentment for our seasons always being described as ‘backwards’ there are fantastic premieres going on in Australia this season that shouldn’t be ignored!) One of these will be the world premiere of US composer Samuel Adams’s Lighthouse for string quintet Concert information here Some of the quartets in action this summer: (left to right) The PUBLIQuartet Dover Quartet (photo Roy Cox) and Takács Quartet (photo Amanda Tipton) The world premiere of Woodland Songs for string quartet by American Indian composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate will be performed by the Dover Quartet this August five woodland animals – Squirrel Fish and Raccoon – are brought to life through the use of traditional Chickasaw melodies mixed with classical techniques ’I’m allowing myself to be impulsive and just imagine what a quartet can do.’ Watch out for our interview with Tate about the work in our upcoming August issue Concert information here Swedish composer Anders Hillborg’s Viola Concerto was the second concerto in British violist Lawrence Power’s V10LA project which aims to commission ten viola concertos by 2030 Hillborg’s work will now receive its US premiere at the Aspen Music Festival this August alongside the Aspen Festival Orchestra and conductor Piotr Waclawik The 20-minute work comprises seven unbroken parts contrasting from rage-filled sections to lush musical landscapes. Concert information here They’re back with the European premiere of Flow by US violist and composer of Zimbabwean-Japanese descent, Nokuthula Endo Ngwenyama and its four movements cover scientific topics from the Big Bang Theory to Cosmic Microwave Background radiation. Concert information here After premiering the work in November 2022 Argentinian cellist Sol Gabetta will perform the UK premiere of Spanish composer Francisco Coll’s Cello Concerto at the 2024 BBC Proms joined by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and conductor Tianyi Liu the progamme is completed by Stravinsky’s Firebird Concert information here the Adelphi Quartet will perform the world premiere of British composer Tom Coult’s String Quartet no.2 at the Lucerne Festival this September The four-movement work takes influence from the composer’s interest in jazz and Vaudeville music and includes jazzy sarabandes and chaotic dances the composer tells The Strad. What a way to end this of exciting list of new music Concert information here Here’s to a wild and wonderful summer festival season Read: Session Report: the Takács Quartet on re-recording Schubert Watch: PUBLIQuartet performs ‘What is American’ In The Best of Technique you’ll discover the top playing tips of the world’s leading string players and teachers It’s packed full of exercises for students plus examples from the standard repertoire to show you how to integrate the technique into your playing The Strad’s Masterclass series brings together the finest string players with some of the greatest string works ever written Masterclass has been an invaluable aid to aspiring soloists chamber musicians and string teachers since the 1990s Fulton amassed one of the 20th century’s finest collections of stringed instruments This year’s calendar pays tribute to some of these priceless treasures including Yehudi Menuhin’s celebrated ‘Lord Wilton’ Guarneri the Carlo Bergonzi once played by Fritz Kreisler and four instruments by Antonio Stradivari The ensemble was formed seven years ago and had won numerous competition prizes Harriet Smith finds that rain certainly didn’t stop play at Leif Ove Andsnes’s inspiring annual Norwegian gathering from 7–11 August 2024 US correspondent Thomas May reports on cellist Ani Aznavoorian and her cello crafted by her father Artists sometimes use multiple instruments on an album Violinist Nancy Zhou shares details about the three different bows employed on her upcoming album of solo works What has Hans Christian Aavik been up to since winning the Carl Nielsen Competition in 2022 The Estonian violinist speaks about his new album release of two contrasting concertos which comprised part of his competition victory package 18 duos for violin and viola make up Melia Watras’s latest project ShareSaveCommentLifestyle TravelDiscover These 10 Sustainable Winter Activities In FinlandBySandra MacGregor Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Sandra MacGregor is a North American writer focusing on luxury travelNov 07 06:30am ESTShareSaveCommentIce swimming in Finland Just one of 10 sustainable fun winter activities If you really want to experience the true magic of winter then head to Finland's Lakeland region When the cold season strikes the region it transforms into a entrancing winter wonderland Enjoy the beauty of icy crystals and the comfort of a warm fire in a cabin From embracing the calm of a night devoid of light pollution to ice fishing and electric snow scooter rides this region offers a unique winter adventure for every traveler Here’s a selection of 10 of the best sustainable experiences to help you explore Lakeland like a local during the winter months there are plenty of places to experience darkness and starry .. More nights – no light pollution is guaranteed Experience Night Like Never Before Have you ever encountered genuine darkness and experienced its soothing influence there are plenty of places to experience true darkness and dazzling starry nights and the absence of light pollution is guaranteed Guided winter adventures on electric snow scooters are available in Puumala The 1.5-hour safari lets guests silently glide along the wintry shores of stunning Lake Saimaa taking in the scenery and enjoying the peace and quiet of the surroundings your guide will talk about the secrets of Lake Saimaa before hopping back on the eLYLY Ice Fishing Hotelli Kaleva in Kuhmo takes guests right on the lakes to try fishing The hotel also specializes in LGBTQ-friendly excursions Heat (and Freeze) It Up There are around three million saunas in Finland and if you ask any locals – they will tell you the best way to experience one is by a lake And don’t forget to throw in some winter bathing The Sahanlahti Resort in Puumala offers electric and traditional smoke saunas year-round but in winter a sauna made from ice guarantees the ultimate encounter with Finnish wellness culture Winter Meditation Lake Saimaa offers plenty of options for mindful relaxing along its striking shore and one of the most calming options is floating Give dry suit floating a try; you’ll enjoy a safe relaxing journey atop the gentle flow of River Vuoksi or the clear waters of Lake Saimaa Skate On a Frozen Lake but many also love to engage in skating during wintertime So why not do like the locals and take part in an ice marathon organized annually in the city of Kuopio Or just enjoy a leisurely skate skating under the moonlight sky Engage in a National Sport Why not explore the wintry landscapes on a pair of skis and take in the sights at your own pace The Finnish Lakeland region offers hundreds of miles of well-maintained trails that are often even floodlit Group excursions from guesthouse to guesthouse are available in Karhunpää Heavy snow landscape from Vuokatti ski resort Skiing the Slopes of Vuokatti There are 14 well-groomed versatile Vuokatti slopes that guarantee fun for the whole family Beginners can start on an easy Maxin Lumimaailma trail Experienced skiers can choose the Olympiakatti and Freestyle park slopes that correspond to all international competition standards Vuokatti Ski School also specializes on providing lessons for those with physical challenges A Night in Nature The Panorama Landscape Hotel in Tahko opened its doors on the 1st of November 2023 with a season lasting through the winter The hotel suites are located on the slopes of the Tahko mountain and come complete with the most astonishing forest and lake views E-bike on Snowy Trails The cycling trails of National Parks Hossa and Martinselkonen offer more than 100 miles of cycling joy Fat bikes with thick tires perform perfectly on well-maintained routes they offer a new way to explore the outdoors in winter Read moreThanks to people finally shrugging off the fairytale baddies that teach us to fear this carnivore, and thanks to protection from an EU directive on habitats, wolf numbers – along with those of lynx and brown bears – have been slowly recovering in Europe Wolves have proved adept at sharing space with humans, in some cases frequenting densely populated suburbs. Italy and Spain have large wolf populations and even Germany, where wolves are recolonising from Poland, has a similar number of wolves to Finland Germany also has 233 people for every sq km; Finland averages just 17 There’s one fact that perhaps explains Finland’s lack of tenderness to wolves: its human population of 5.5 million includes 300,000 hunters Finland’s government argues its cull will stop frustrated hunters from illegally shooting wolves – so the wolves are being killed for their own protection wolves were blamed for killing about 50 hunting dogs infuriating hunters who spend years training them Hunters are handsomely compensated but that’s not enough – the wolf is also a competitor for the elk and deer that hunters want to kill But there’s a third reason, according to Riku Lumiaro of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation – and it will be familiar to anyone who brushes against British game shooters: “Hunters have total power over the countryside and they don’t want to lose it.” criticism of the wolf cull is portrayed as a clash between urban and “forest” culture I’m sure Finns won’t appreciate a lecture from a citizen of a country that wiped out its wolves four centuries ago and I was reminded of our own attitude towards killing wild animals outside my local butcher’s the other day I struggle to justify eating meat but us carnivores should probably consider replacing other dishes with the ubiquitous woodpigeon I’m sure Colonel Sanders could liven up its livery flesh I’ll admit a grudge too: their fondness for defecating all over my solar panels is wreaking havoc with my electricity generation Three dead whales wash up on Skegness beach – video Guardian a safe voyage – but this is one whale that looks happiest on the beach vice president of the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation artistic director of the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival and Eero Suominen posing for a photo after a press conference held at the Finnish Embassy in Seoul / Courtesy of Kumho Art HallBy Yun Suh-young The Kumho & Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival kicked off Thursday marking the first musical exchange between the Seoul-based Kumho Art Hall and the Finnish Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival 9 to 11 at the Kumho Art Hall in Gwanghwamun The festival is one of the world’s largest chamber music festivals Started in 1970 in the small Finnish town of Kuhmo the festival has survived for over 40 years attracting 50,000 visitors annually It runs every July for 14 days in Kuhmo which has now become a summer vacation destination Around 200 musicians and 100 music students participate in the annual event This event will be the first in a series of cultural exchanges between the two countries The Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival decided to take its act to Korea for the first time this year and moving onwards the two countries will continue to exchange musicians for future co-organized events "Kumho Art Hall and the Finnish Embassy began planning the festival in Seoul four years ago," said Kim Yong-yeon during a press conference Wednesday. “Starting this year Finnish musicians will be coming to Seoul to perform Korean musicians will visit Finland to take part in the festival there We'll continue to exchange musicians back and forth like this.” This year is especially meaningful for the Finnish festival as it marks the 100th anniversary of Finland's independence from Russia in 1917 As a tribute and dedication to the iconic Finnish composer Jean Sibelius often identified as a symbol of the country the music festival will begin Thursday at 8 p.m He was born before the Finnish independent state was born and started music when Verdi and Brahms were flourishing Nothing can move Sibelius away from Europe It is why the first program of this weekend of concerts is called The Time of Sibelius," said Vladimir Mendelssohn artistic director of the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival but the focus shifts onto French composers such as Claude Debussy Under the theme "Paris by Night," the program will offer pieces such as Sonata for Cello and Piano Rhapsodie de Concert for Violin and Piano by Ravel Evergreens" with pieces by Johann Pachelbel The Russian army is telling Syrians where to cross into Finland by bicycle according to posts on a Telegram account with around 7,500 subscribers They let you buy a bicycle for $250 [€228] and then tell you where to go,\" notes the 18 November post written in Arabic It says people are taken by cars from Minsk in Belarus to Moscow and then towards checkpoints with Finland \"You must have at least $200 in your pocket as a precaution,\" it says noting those who have lost their visa first get a court-ordered exclusion order The bikes appear to be corroborated by the Finnish border police they said traffic at the Vartius border with Russia had stopped due to a pile of bicycles And they say 19 people seeking asylum had also arrived \"Bicycles left on border line hinder traffic Finnish authorities cannot go to Russia to remove bikes,\" said Matti Pitkäniitty Finland's border guard international affairs director on X The development comes after Finland closed four border crossing points in the southeast with Russia last Friday And the closures come amid accusations Russia is deliberately shuffling migrants and asylum seekers onto the border in order to stoke up tensions with Finland because it joined Nato The Finnish Defence Forces have since sent troops to Vartius to help build barriers amid plans to erect a permanent border fence around the Vartius border post next year Some 71 asylum seekers arrived at the border crossing points on the eastern border over the weekend And YLE cites a Finnish deputy commander as saying Russia is forcing the asylum seekers to cross The EU has termed such mechanisations by Belarus, Russia and others as the \"instrumentalisation of migrants\". Politics vs high asylum-recognition rates But it also exposes the political toxicity of asylum in the EU Most of those crossing into Finland reportedly come from Somalia All four are countries with relative high rates of asylum recognition in the EU Syrians have had a recognition rate above 90 percent almost consistently for the last two years followed by 66 percent for Afghans and almost 60 percent for Iraqis This is because countries wrecked by conflict often forces people to seek refuge elsewhere Most often they go to neighbouring countries some opt for dangerous and often expensive journeys Around 160 asylum seekers arrived in Finland from Russia last Thursday a day before Finland closed its four south eastern border points Finland had just under 5,000 first-time asylum applicants says it stands ready to shore up the Finnish border It says they are preparing to provide immediate assistance through the additional deployment of its standing corps officers \"Frontex is assessing the wider impact of these developments on other neighbouring member states,\" said a Frontex spokesperson Last Friday, Norway, which also shares a border with Russia, said the situation was calm and normal. \"So far no cases have been found that would indicate increased migration pressure,\" said a spokesperson from the Latvian state border guard Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010 They let you buy a bicycle for $250 [€228] and then tell you where to go," notes the 18 November post written in Arabic "You must have at least $200 in your pocket as...To read this story log in or subscribeEnjoy access to all articles and 25 years of archives Become a member for as low as €1,75 per week EU & the World Migration NordicsAuthor BioNikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs Representatives for the company say they are making more than a 400-million dollar investment in Middle Georgia The new plant will be located off Georgia Highway 247 in Sofkee Industrial Park on Kumho Parkway Macon-Bibb county officials say Kumho Tire will also attract other companies to the area “This will have a dramatic effect on our entire city and not to mention the tag alone industries and businesses,” said Macon-Bibb Industrial Authority Chairman Kumho is looking to fill 10 positions immediately junior level electrical and machinery engineers accounting and finance manager and general affairs assistant manager Kumho Tire Georgia said they are currently in the construction phase of the project they are expecting production to begin in 2016 “Macon-Bibb County was selected as the location of our first North American manufacturing facility for many reasons but most importantly its strong work force,” said Ahn Georgia’s Department of Labor Commissioner Mark Butler says they will use a new process called “customized recruiting” to help fill the new jobs “Which is geared specifically toward this type of project,” said Butler “To make sure that not only do we get the kind of work force that they will need to be successful but also to be able to do it in a very quick manner.” Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Bears. They’re cuddly. They’re adorable. And we like to collect them as The Lord of the Rings style plushies IRL bears can easily switch from awwwwwwww to I AM A 600-POUND MURDER MACHINE WITH FANGS real fast Case in point: This epic battle between two brown bears in Finland PetaPixel picked up on the brown bear battle which went down at the Boreal Wildlife Centre in Kuhmo A wildlife camera crew inside of a bear blind (basically a shack) captured the roaring good fight the crew didn’t expect to see anything like this “After 45 minutes [sitting in the hide] A total of four bears arrived within the 5 hours we were there,” the crew members told PetaPixel “We would have been happy to have seen a glimpse of a single bear did our expectations get exceeded massively,” they added In the clip, we watch as two adults, male brown bears square up over turf. The bears, as the crew told PetaPixel, are approximately the same size. Which we’re guessing is around 600 pounds? (The crew doesn’t offer a guess, and the average weight of an adult Eurasian brown bear is around 600 pounds.) This makes for the perfect matchup as the two beasts first tango around a tree trunk and finally…walk away from each other like nothing happened That you can’t ever go near because they’ll rip your head off Feature image: Samulin Matkassa Hey reader! We’re delighted you're perusing our site for all your nerdy news. We'd wholeheartedly appreciate you enabling ads to keep this content free. Thank you! Open image viewerAn image taken at the 2022 Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival. Image: Stefan Bremer / Kuhmon KamarimusiikkiYle News23.5.2023 12:12BBC MusicOpens an external website has listed the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival in Finland as among the top classical music festivals this summer in Europe Kuhmo is in the northeastern region of Kainuu and offers a summer festival experience surrounded by Finnish forests and lakes The city is also designated as the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture for 2023 The festival has received similar accolades in the past according to Sari Rusanen the festival has grown to become one of the world's top festivals and has managed to maintain its place there," Rusanen said The festival programme has been designed by new art directors Minna Pensola and Antti Tikkanen The summer programme includes 60 concerts and 20 side events This year's theme Roots and Wings strikes a natural chord with the festival's setting Would you like a roundup of the week's top stories in your inbox every Thursday? Then sign up to receive our weekly email Viking adventures and midnight sun and fun await in Denmark Sauli Niinistö calls for close cooperation on border security during visit to Poland after several hundred people arrived via Russia from countries such as Yemen and Somalia But we have to take notice also to national security And now … it seems that deportation of those migrants who don’t meet the criteria of asylum has become impossible The Finnish president has also made the case for close cooperation on border security Good and in-depth conversation with President of Poland @AndrzejDuda today in Warsaw. Close cooperation in regional security issues such as border security is needed. We also discussed our strong support to Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. pic.twitter.com/Nrkfj6nvso Santiago Abascal, the leader of Spain’s far-right Vox party, congratulated the far-right libertarian Javier Milei on his victory in Argentina’s presidential election. “Today a path of future and hope opens for Argentines and all of Latin America, which we celebrate in Spain with special joy,” Abascal wrote, as other far-right and conservative figures across Europe also celebrated Milei’s win. Stéphane Séjourné, president of the Renew Europe group, said Argentina had “chosen to try a far-right populist adventure” but that “those experiments end in failure and suffering”. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, praised Milei on his “clear stance” in support of Kyiv. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was “waiting for clarifications” from the winner of Argentina’s election. Israel’s foreign minister, Eli Cohen, congratulated Milei and invited him to visit Israel to open an embassy in Jerusalem. The European Commission appeared to downplay a new Hungarian government campaign that includes billboards depicting the commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Open Society Foundations chair, Alex Soros, with the slogan: “Let’s not dance to their tune.” A commission spokesperson said von der Leyen was “unfazed” by the campaign. Daniel Freund, a German Green member of the European parliament, said the commission should suspend preparatory meetings with Viktor Orbán’s government before Hungarian Council presidency. Amid concerns about asylum seekers arriving via Russia, Finnish president Sauli Niinistö said that it seems that it has become impossible to return people who did not meet the necessary criteria. Updated at 18.27 CET20 Nov 202316.51 CETKremlin waiting for 'clarifications' from Argentina's MileiDmitry Peskov said today that Russia was paying attention to the winner of Argentina’s presidential election “We have paid attention to the many statements made by Mr Milei during the election campaign, but mainly we will be guided and judge by what he says after the inauguration,” Peskov said, according to Tass. “In particular, we are waiting for clarifications on many issues that will affect our bilateral relations,” he added. Updated at 18.28 CET20 Nov 202316.38 CETFinnish prime minister Petteri Orpo spoke to reporters at a border post in Kuhmo today amid concerns about the arrival of asylum seekers via Russia He said that more measures are being prepared and could be taken quickly if needed, YLE reported The prime minister also reiterated that the recent arrival of asylum seekers is underpinned by a shift in the Russian authorities’ behavior a spokesperson for the Kremlin denied that Russia was deliberately pushing migrants to the Finnish border Here are images from the area over the past days Daniel Freund, a German Green member of the European parliament, said: For von der Leyen there is only one reaction to this dirty campaign: suspend all preparatory meetings for the council presidency between the EU Commission and the Hungarian government. today unveiled his new cabinet – which includes many veteran faces José Manuel Albares remains foreign minister and Nadia Calviño retains her position as deputy prime minister Félix Bolaños will be the new justice minister Coalition partner Sumar got five ministries with Yolanda Díaz remaining second deputy prime minister and minister of labour Gracias, @sanchezcastejon por la confianza. Muy honrado e ilusionado por esta nueva responsabilidad.España tiene un Estado de derecho fuerte y ejemplar. Vamos a trabajar para mejorar la Justicia y ampliar y reforzar desde las Cortes nuestro Estado de bienestar.¡A por ello! ¡Buenos días! ➕ Ya es oficial: Sumar contará con 5 ministerios en el nuevo gobierno de coalición progresista. Queremos contarte un poco más sobre cada uno/a de ellos. ¡Dentro hilo! 🧵 “Europe must be protected from such political disasters. And on that regard, elections do matter,” he added. 🇦🇷 Argentina has democratically chosen to try a far-right populist adventure. It is the sovereign choice of the Argentinian people.But let's repeat it again and again: every time, those experiments end in failure and suffering.▫️Brazilians have emerged poorer under Bolsonaro.… Updated at 14.01 CET20 Nov 202312.57 CETCommission president 'unfazed' by Hungarian billboard campaignThe European Commission’s chief spokesperson appeared to downplay a new Hungarian government campaign that includes billboards depicting the commission president with the slogan: “Let’s not dance to their tune.” The campaign has renewed concerns that the government of Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán is using antisemitic narratives for political gain at home At the commission’s daily press briefing today Mamer faced several questions regarding the billboards and a related questionnaire the Hungarian government is mailing to each citizen with leading questions criticising Brussels But the spokesperson said that the commission would not be drawn into a debate over the questions “We have no interest in losing time with that sort of issue in the current international context,” he said She didn’t bat an eyebrow … completely unfazed Let’s be clear: we know this is not the first time Mamer also said generally that antisemitism was not tolerated in the EU but did not directly address the issue of whether the billboards were antisemitic The commission’s response differs from its approach in 2019 when the Hungarian government ran a similar campaign targeting then commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and Hungarian-American businessman George Soros Back in 2019, the commission said: “It is shocking that such a ludicrous conspiracy theory has reached the mainstream to the extent it has wrote on social media that “Kirchnerism has been defeated” This is wonderful news for defenders of freedom around the world The happiness of so many Argentines is also mine El kirchnerismo ha sido derrotado.Es una magnífica noticia para los defensores de la libertad en todo el mundo.La felicidad de tantos argentinos es también la mía. Enhorabuena, @JMilei Gracias, @PatoBullrich Bravo, bravo, bravo. pic.twitter.com/WOuP6iUWSe Updated at 13.15 CET20 Nov 202311.55 CETSome mainstream European politicians including European Council president Charles Michel and EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell have now also congratulated Argentina’s Javier Milei Congratulations to Argentina’s new President-elect @JMilei for his victory. The people of #Argentina have spoken in free & democratic elections. Argentina is a close partner of the European Union. I thank @alferdez for the excellent cooperation over the last years.I look… El pueblo argentino ha votado democráticamente.Felicito a @JMilei por su elección como nuevo presidente. Vamos a seguir reforzando nuestros lazos con Argentina, un socio fundamental para la UE, en base a nuestros valores democráticos y principios compartidos. Updated at 13.16 CET20 Nov 202311.24 CETSam JonesJavier Ortega Smith a half-Argentinian politician from Spain’s Vox who was the far-right party’s general secretary until last year congratulated “the Argentine people for getting rid of Peronism and recovering freedom” He also congratulated Victoria Villarruel, writing: “You are going to be the best vice-president Argentina has ever had 👏🇦🇷 ¡Enhorabuena al pueblo argentino por librarse del peronismo y recuperar la Libertad!¡Enhorabuena, amiga, @VickyVillarruel!Vas a ser la mejor Vicepresidente que ha tenido Argentina, garantizando la seguridad del país. pic.twitter.com/7jtPDhynn9 where most asylum seekers are now arriving Finnish officials say some are being "forced across the border" by Russia Open image viewerA wheel loader moves a concrete blockade into position at the Vartius border crossing point on Sunday Image: Timo Valtteri Sihvonen / YleYle News19.11.2023 11:58•Updated 19.11.2023 16:47The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) are providing assistance to the Border Guard at the Vartius crossing point in Kuhmo on Sunday Troops are helping to build a temporary barrier in preparation for a potentially protracted situation in the Kainuu region Vartius became the southernmost border station early Saturday when Finland closed four points further south That followed a steadily rising number of undocumented third-country asylum seekers arriving at the border which Finnish officials said was orchestrated by Russian authorities as a means of hybrid pressure the border was closed at Vartius as Finnish and Russian border authorities began negotiations on procedures regarding asylum seekers waiting in a queue to enter Russia at the time Many more vehicles were waiting by the time the border re-opened to traffic around 1:30 pm Finnish border authorities negotiated with their Russian colleagues at the border barrier Some of the third-country citizens who had been pushed onto the Finnish side of the border barrier have not applied for asylum so were being asking whether they actually wanted to go to Finland According to border station director Jouko Kinnunen restrictions were needed because Russian authorities were actively systematically bringing people to the area and directing them across the border He said that they pushed people through the border opening and then closed the gates behind them making it impossible for them to return to Russia Kinnunen said there were signs that some people had been obliged to cross the border against their will One border crosser told Yle that Russian border guards had let people from third countries past the line of cars waiting to enter Finland at the Lyttä border station Border Guard international affairs director Matti Pitkäniitty said in a social media post that traffic at the Vartius border crossing point had been temporarily halted "Bicycles left on border line hinder traffic Finnish authorities cannot go to Russia to remove bikes," he wrote The deputy commander of the Kainuu Border Guard said that the FDF would only provide construction help not military assistance in guarding the border "The situation is completely under the control of the Border Guard," he told Yle on Sunday "The Kainuu border guard is building barrier devices in the area so that it can ensure public order and safety in this prevailing disturbed situation The FDF is providing official assistance to the Border Guard," explained Tirkkonen He added that a permanent border fence is to be built around Vartius next year A Finnish Customs x-ray scanning truck has also been brought to the Vartius border station Such large mobile devices are used for Customs inspections at ports and border crossing points the devices help intercept significant numbers of smuggling attempts every year 71 asylum seekers arrived at the border crossing points on the eastern border Four came through the Nuijamaa border station even though it officially closed just after midnight on Friday night they were all able to bypass or pass through the obstacles and thus reached the Finnish side," Jukka Lukkari deputy commander of the Southeast Finland Border Guard Finnish officials said that their Russian counterparts have sealed off the Russian side of the border after forcing asylum-seekers out toward Finland in freezing conditions regardless of whether border stations are open At least two other individuals illicitly crossed the border through the forest between official crossing points Two walked over the land border near Rautjärvi between Imatra and Kitee in South Karelia before applying for asylum The Border Guard of Southeast Finland is investigating the case Open image viewerA Border Guard escorts Sunday's first two asylum seekers Image: Jarmo Nuotio / YleAltogether 284 people crossed the border at Vartius on Saturday On Saturday that number could rise to around 1,000 border station director Kinnunen predicted in the morning Only a small fraction of those are expected to be third-country asylum seekers Kinnunen said that the asylum seekers who arrived on Saturday were "forced across the border by Russian officials" "In the evening two persons crossed the green border (area outside border crossing points) illegally in Southeast Finland In Kainuu and other Border Guard Districts night was normal No asylum seekers or illegalities at the border," Pitkäniitty said on social media on Sunday morning the day's first two asylum seekers arrived in heavy snowfall The border is always closed to other traffic while asylum seekers are escorted through it No asylum seekers were seen near the border crossing points in Salla and Inari in Finnish Lapland on Sunday head of the reception unit of the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) told Yle on Sunday that most asylum seekers who have come across the eastern border recently are from Somalia On Sunday some 200-300 people demonstrated outside the town hall in the eastern Finnish city of Lappeenranta demanding that at least one southern border post be re-opened Most were Russians living in Finland who have family on the other side of the border Users with an Yle ID can leave comments on our news stories. 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Our guidelines on commenting and moderation are explained here HELSINKI FINLAND was buried on the same day in the military section of the Rishon LeZion cemetery near Tel Aviv This is the first reported death of a Finnish-Israeli dual citizen who participated in Israeli army against the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza Raviv’s demise highlights the challenges faced by dual citizens like himself torn between allegiance to their homeland and a sense of duty to a country embroiled in conflict It has proven extremely difficult for the media to find information on dual citizens who as reservists have to serve and fight in two armies such as Finnish citizens fighting for IDF in Gaza at the moment either lack sufficient data on dual citizens engaging in combat in other countries or refuse to give such information out Helsinki Times reached out to multiple agencies The Finnish Defence Ministry stated that they do not maintain statistics on reservists with dual citizenship Finnish Defence Forces do not compile statistics on dual citizenship it is Finnish citizenship that matters to us,” said a spokesperson of Finnish Defence Force “We do not endorse or send Finnish citizens to fight wars in different countries and unfortunately many citizens do not inform us when they engage in such activities,” the spokesperson added The Finnish embassy in Tel Aviv maintained the same stance on Finnish fighters in Israel “We do not track exact numbers of the dual citizens that are serving currently either as regular soldiers or as reservists,” the embassy told Helsinki Times The embassy added that due to the variety of units in the service are in duty in offices or in medical corps also they would be serving under the Israeli authority,” Finnish embassy in Israel said the Israeli Defence Forces declined to release the numbers of Finnish soldiers in combat in Gaza According to data provided by statistics.fi there are at least 177 Finnish men and 122 Finnish women with Israeli dual citizenship military service becomes mandatory at the age of 18 lasting 32 months for men and 24 months for women women have the option to volunteer for military service the Israeli Defence Forces uniquely conscripts the entire female population individuals may be called upon to serve in reserve units in Israel in case of a national emergency The Israel Defence Forces plans to extend conscript and reservist service durations to enhance readiness amid prolonged conflict in Gaza Female soldiers in combat roles will serve 36 months while the consecutive days of reservist service will increase from 25 to 40 The IDF also enlists over 7,000 “lone soldiers” with nearly half being recent immigrants from global Jewish communities individuals under 24 for men and 21 for women can join the IDF for 18 to 24 months without requiring to have Israeli citizenship Israel’s reported use of foreign mercenaries in its attacks on Gaza has stirred significant debate and controversy Helsinki Times had earlier reported that high-ranking UN experts warn of a potential “genocide in progress” in Gaza urging the international community to take all necessary measures to prevent further atrocities Israel is under investigation by the International Court of Justice for alleged genocide and there are numerous allegations of war crimes such as deliberate targeting of civilians When questioned about the potential persecution of soldiers for war crimes outside the country Finland’s Justice Ministery clarified that Finnish law applies to crimes committed abroad by Finnish citizens this presupposes that the offence must also be punishable at the place where the offence was committed (double criminality requirement) which is often the case for the offences that may be involved many offences related to combat operations are international crimes that can be tried in Finland regardless of the law of the place where they were committed,” Janne Kanerva If Finnish authorities become aware of a suspected crime committed abroad by a Finnish citizen they will assess whether the conditions for initiating criminal proceedings are met a decision by the prosecutor is required to start a pre-trial investigation In the case of offences suspected of having been committed outside Finland the possibility that the criminal case may be processed outside Finland (for example in the court of the place where the crime was committed) must always be taken into account,” Kanerva added In cases where soldiers become victims of war crimes during conflicts the Ministry of Justice ensures assistance and intervention through various channels “They might need medical assistance or other social welfare and healthcare services hospital treatment and physical and mental rehabilitation The victim may use these services in Finland under the same conditions as all the other clients Many organisations in Finland also provide support and guidance for crime victims,” Kanerva said The involvement of mercenaries from various countries has come to light through recent revelations including a Spanish mercenary providing compelling evidence of their presence in the Israeli army This evidence includes details of a weekly payment of 3,900 euros to mercenaries suggesting the existence of a well-funded operation reports by French media indicate that a considerable number of French-Israeli dual citizens have enlisted in the Israeli army specifically for the Gaza conflict These revelations have sparked discussions not only within France but also internationally drawing attention to the potential legal implications of such involvement In December 2023, the Australian Centre for International Justice sent letters to key Australian authorities, including the Minister for Home Affairs, the Attorney-General, and the Australian Federal Police Commissioner, regarding Australian citizens involved in hostilities in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory The exact count of American citizens engaged in combat in Gaza remains uncertain, with estimates suggesting a figure in the hundreds. Since the onset of the Israeli offensive on October 7th, approximately 10,000 individuals residing in the US have received draft notices from the Israeli army posing a legal quandary regarding accountability for potential war crimes In a devastating update by Aljazeera that underscores the severity of the ongoing conflict with Israel intensifying its military operations across the region including strikes near hospitals and in the southern parts of the enclave the Palestinian Ministry of Health reports a staggering toll: at least 33,037 people have been killed including more than 13,000 children and 8,400 women with injuries surpassing 75,668 individuals While some have questioned the reliability of the statistics from Gaza Health Ministry, the high toll of civilian casualties has been confirmed by US authorities. Speaking during a congressional hearing on Thursday 29th of February US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was asked by Congressman Ro Khanna how many Palestinian women and children had been killed by Israel The conflict's impact has not spared the occupied West Bank where at least 457 people have been killed with significant damage to residential buildings The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs highlights the harrowing reality: every hour Israel has also killed more than 100 journalists in Gaza Seven international aid workers belonging to charity World Central Kitchen distributing food to the famine ridden Gazan civilians were killed last Monday by what seems to be a deliberate precision targeting of their well-marked vehicles moving in a convoy kilometres apart Advertisement inquiries and other after-sales issues: info@helsinkitimes.fi Helsinki Times is the first and only English language newspaper providing news about Finland in English A weekly print edition of Helsinki Times was published from March 2007 up until Feb Helsinki Times is an online-only publication and other groups and individuals interested in Finland from all around the world © Helsinki Times All rights reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 58 Border guards walked alongside a migrant at the Vartius border-crossing point in Kuhmo Helsingin Sanomat on Sunday reported that the situation at the border-crossing point has at times become chaotic following the government’s decision to close four more southern border-crossing points on the eastern border SITUATION at the Vartius border-crossing point in Kuhmo, Eastern Finland, was at times chaotic yesterday as people continued to arrive at the border on foot, bicycles and even kick-boards, prompting border officials to twice close the border-crossing, for a total of three-and-a-half hours, reports Helsingin Sanomat The Finnish government decided last week to close four more southern border-crossing points for the next three months and only accept asylum applications at Vartius and Salla The Kainuu Border Guard District has revealed that yesterday a total of 16 people applied for asylum at the Vartius border-crossing point which is located about 250 kilometres east of Oulu Preliminary information indicates that the asylum applicants are from Morocco The border-crossing point closed for the day according to plan at 6pm and is scheduled to re-open at 8am on Monday the official in charge of the border-crossing point said the point was closed temporarily in response to Russian authorities directing people into the border zone and closing the gates behind them Kinnunen stated to Ilta-Sanomat that the conduct of the last group to arrive at the border on Saturday suggested they did not even want to come to Finland Many Russian border guard posts line the road from Kostomuksha Typically people are not allowed to pass through the posts without a Schengen visa Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen (PS) confirmed to Helsingin Sanomat on Sunday that the Ministry of the Interior is devising additional measures to promote border security adding that the closure of four border-crossing points has had “partly” the desired effect “I won’t be commenting more on [the measures] at this point The matter will be made public once it has been processed We’re moving forward with it quickly,” she said continues to try to put a stop to the phenomenon Temporary obstacles have already been erected at the border with the assistance of the Finnish Defence Forces Finland has also asked the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) for assistance with security of the border with the two presently discussing the kind of support that is required a programme director at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs told Helsingin Sanomat on Sunday that the Russian Border Service would have unlikely been able to change its approach without a political decision meaning the current practice should at least have the approval of President Vladimir Putin it’s impossible to say whether the initiative came from him but there had to have at least an approval,” he analysed wants to concoct as complicated a crisis as possible in order to shift the attention of western states away from the war in Ukraine and to possibly enter into negotiations with Russia Speaker of Parliament Jussi Halla-aho (PS) on Sunday asked on X how some can be so sure that the people arriving at the eastern border are not members of the mercenary group Wagner or special troops of Russia has recruited members in both Africa and the Middle East “I want to say this out loud now because when our high-voltage wires power plants and data cables start blowing up there’ll be plenty of people saying: no one could’ve predicted this!” he wrote on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter Russia has to have a reason to direct people to its border with Finland “They aren’t arriving at the border because they’ve just now become vulnerable in Russia but because Russia for one reason or another wants them to come to Finland just now,” he said adding that based on media reports the arrivals appear to be “young healthy men in spanking new winter clothes” A closed gate on the border between Finland and Russia in Kuhmo Helsingin Sanomat on Monday reported that opposition lawmakers are cautiously supportive of the government’s plan to devise further measures in response to what is believed to be an organised effort by Russia to bring migrants to Finland OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS in Finland are cautiously supportive of the government drawing up further measures in response to the inflow of asylum seekers to border-crossing points at the border between Finland and Russia, indicates a report by Helsingin Sanomat Many of the lawmakers interviewed yesterday by the newspaper reminded that evaluating the measures is difficult because only the government has up-to-date information on the situation at the border and the role of Russia Eveliina Heinäluoma (SDP) stated to Helsingin Sanomat that it is good that the government is preparing to expand its toolkit that no room whatsoever is given to the mischievous and appalling exploitation of people by Russia: “Reacting quickly is a way to try to prevent the situation from worsening The intention is to send a message to both Russian authorities but also to these people around the world who are being exploited is that the Finnish border is monitored and isn’t a transit stop.” She also urged the government to keep the parliament up to date on the situation instead of notifying it of developments “with a bit of a delay” “[The government] has access to the entire operational picture of officials It’s terribly important that the whole parliament gets up-to-date information on what’s happening and what kind of measures are considered,” Heinäluoma said to Helsingin Sanomat Petri Honkonen (Centre) similarly indicated that he is ready to resort to further measures The government last week closed four border-crossing points in south-eastern parts of Finland: Imatra The receipt of asylum applications was simultaneously concentrated to two border-crossing points: Vartius in Kuhmo “Not everything that’s behind the decisions is necessarily communicated publicly But my impression is that Russia will continue using these people as instruments I support the idea of closing the entire eastern border Laura Meriluoto (LA) said the government has a key role in assessing the need for further measures because it has access to the most up-to-date information that you have to find some kind of balance from the perspective of internal security and the human rights obligations that apply to Finland,” she commented told Helsingin Sanomat that she has yet to receive information that would necessitate the closure of the entire border “If media information about Russia being involved in human trafficking and trying to push people across the border at the Vartius and Salla border-crossing points is correct you have to send a strong signal to Russia that this isn’t acceptable not only the ways in the border [guard] act,” she wrote in a message to the newspaper © Helsinki Times All rights reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy When plain old white tire smoke just isn't enough.. With all the crazy burnout videos filling up the internet it seems to be getting harder for drivers to find a way to set their tire melting exhibitions apart from all the rest Hoons throughout the world have a colorful way to express themselves through the majesty of tire smoke Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from LSX Magazine, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE! © 2025 Power Automedia. All rights reserved. We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request. We'll send you the most interesting LSX Magazine articles, news, car features, and videos every week. We promise not to use your email address for anything but exclusive updates from the Power Automedia Network. Open image viewerThe Finnish border in Kuhmo (file photo from the Kainuu Border Guard) Image: Kainuun RajavartiostoYle News8.11.2023 18:41•Updated 8.11.2023 18:59An individual was apprehended while attempting to cross from Finland into Russia on foot in October the Finnish Border Guard said in a report released on Wednesday the would-be border-crosser was a young Bulgarian man The Kainuu Border Guard said that it intervened in a "suspected state border crime" in the eastern municipality of Kuhmo a lake some five kilometres from the Russian border and 50km from the centre of Kuhmo Based on a tip-off from a member of the public a Kainuu Border Guard patrol found a foreigner on foot "whose intention was to cross the national border illegally from Finland to Russia," officials said They did not specify the date of the incident or details about the individual The man was detained and a preliminary investigation launched into the incident The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) sent the man back to his home country and banned him from entering Finland for three years This was one of eight suspected crimes uncovered by the Kainuu Border Guard in October these included two minor state border offenses further north in Kuusamo and unlicensed driver at the Vartius border crossing point Users with an Yle ID can leave comments on our news stories. You can create your Yle ID via this link. Our guidelines on commenting and moderation are explained here. You can comment on this article until 23:00 on 9 November. Jack Liebeck is established as one of the most compelling young violinists on the concert platform. He made his concerto debut with the Halle Orchestra aged fiftenn and has since appeared with many of the world's leading orchestras under the baton of conductors such as Martyn Brabbins, Paul Daniel, Andrew Litton, Sir Neville Marriner, Sakari Oramo, Libor Pesek, Vasily Petrenko and Jukka Pekka Saraste. Jack is professor of violin at the Royal Academy of Music and is the Artistic Director of Oxford May Music Festival, a festival of Music, Science and the Arts. Open image viewerFile photo of the Vartius international border crossing point from last autumn. Image: Timo Valtteri Sihvonen / YleYle News12.7.2023 18:07Russian border authorities have started cancelling Finnish travellers' visas at the Vartius border crossing point in Kuhmo. The head of that Finnish Border Guard station, Jouko Kinnunen, said that since Monday there have been around 10 cases where people attempting to cross the border have been turned away and sent back to Finland. "On Monday afternoon, the Russian authorities started denying entry and visas," he told Yle. Kinnunen had heard of at least one case further north, where a visa had been revoked at the Kuusamo border crossing station. "The Russian authorities there apparently evaluated what the visa was issued for and how it had been used. For example, the individual may not have only crossed the border to fill up their petrol tank," Kinnunen said. Even after Russia's attack on Ukraine and an array of sanctions, some Finnish residents have been regularly crossing the frontier to buy cheaper fuel. Last spring, Russia turned away some Finns attempting to cross the border from southeast Finland. At that time, the Russian embassy in Finland commented that those turned back were isolated cases. No cancellations of visas have so far been reported from the Niirala border crossing point, or at Salla or Raja-Jooseppi in Lapland. The Kuhmo and Kuusamo border points have been quiet in recent years due to the pandemic and then war-related sanctions. For example, in June, just over 5,600 people travelled through the border crossing points monitored by the Kainuu Border Guard, down by about 85 percent from June 2019. Nearly all these went through the Vartius border crossing, with less than 300 crossing in Kuusamo. Kinnunen estimated that about 100 people now pass through the Vartius border station daily. "There are many dual citizens, who can travel freely," he said. On Monday, Finland imposed new restrictions on Russians entering the country. The changes concern business travellers, for example, who are now only allowed to come for Finland on work trips, with transit to other countries prohibited. Business travellers must now have a valid reason to do business in Finland in person. There are also new restrictions on students and Russians who own property in Finland, for instance. skis for NatoMany morning newspapers look at the possible configuration of a new coalition government in Finland following the announcement of parties' policy positions on Tuesday Open image viewerMembers of the Kainuu Brigade on ski exercises in Kuhmo, February 2018. Image: Jarmo Nuotio / YleYle News19.4.2023 9:25•Updated 19.4.2023 9:55Helsingin SanomatOpens an external website is among the papers reporting that PM-elect Petteri Orpo of the National Coalition Party (NCP) who is heading talks on forming a new government is to brief the media on the current situation on Wednesday afternoon Based on the answers to policy stands the NCP has received from other parties it will decide which parties will advance to actual government formation negotiations The Centre Party announced it will not join a new government and it is clear from the answers filed by the Left Alliance that it can hardly fit into the same government as the NCP In an analysisOpens an external website of the situation HS political reporter Teemu Luukka writes that the outlook for a centre-right government is still strong even with clashing views on some issues between the Swedish People's Party and Finns Party Luukka notes that the NCP is no longer requiring a commitment to cut state finances by six billion euros as a ticket to enter a coalition This will ease the creation of a new government and expand the coalition's room for maneuver The policy positions announced on Tuesday further strengthen the prediction that the next government in Finland will consist of the NCP the Christian Democrats and the Swedish People's Party Luukka writes that the reason for that view is that few people believe that the NCP and SDP will be able to find common ground even though they have put out feelers about creating a joint economic programme and miracles have happened before when building a government the main problem in the way of a centre-right government is the difference in the views of the SPP and Finns Party on immigration and several other issues Meanwhile, lltalehtiOpens an external website also looks at the divergent stands being taken by the Swedish People's Party and the Finns Party Finns Party leader Riikka Purra told the paper on Tuesday that if the SPP sticks to the immigration positions it has announced then cooperation between the two will be "practically impossible" lltalehti concludes that with the Centre Party going into opposition if the SPP and Finns Party are unable to reconcile their differences Petteri Orpo will be forced to look to the left to create a viable coalition The farmers' union paper Maaseudun TulevaisuusOpens an external website tells readers that contrary to the impression one might have globally environmental crimes are a significant form of criminal activity right after the drug trade and illegal arms The paper writes that environmental crime in Finland differs slightly from what is most common the rest of the world crimes related to forest clear-cutting or water pollution do not occur as much here as elsewhere the trade in wildlife trade and poaching are also huge areas for crime internationally The most serious environmental crimes in this country usually occur in connection with business operations Most typically these crimes are related to unauthorized disposal or storage of waste and take place on small private or industrial properties Ilta-Sanomat presents readers with a series of photos Opens an external websiteof heavy US Army military equipment that arrived by ship from Estonia to Helsinki on Tuesday The tanks and armoured personnel carriers will be taking part in the Finnish Army's Arrow 23 annual mechanized forces exercise in May the exercise was at Niinisalo and Säkylä 2-13 May and also saw particpation by forces from the UK This year the exercise will be held in southern Finland and be the first for the country as a Nato member The Joensuu-based daily Karjalainen reportsOpens an external website that Nato has placed an order for 8,200 pairs of skis with KSF Sport Oy headed by former world champion and six-time Olympic medalist Harri Kirvesniemi The total value of the order is almost three million euros and Kirvesniemi told the paper that the company will be expanding staff from its current 20 employees The new ski equipment will be delivered to the Finnish Army's Jaeger Brigade and Kainuu Brigade next winter meet the requirements to be suitable for use with any military footwear and to be strapped on or taken off within 20 seconds Would you like a roundup of the week's top stories in your inbox every Thursday? Then sign up to receive our weekly email! which has never been seen in the country before Open image viewerImage: Kirsti-Helena Länsman / Yle8.3.2018 17:52•Updated 8.3.2018 19:43The Finnish Food Safety Agency (Evira) says that analysis of the carcass of a moose or European elk (Alces alces) found in Kuhmo shows that it died of chronic wasting disease (CWD) The illness has so far only been found in North America and The remains of the 15-year-old elk were found in the Kainuu region Evira’s own test results have been confirmed by an EU reference lab which is only known to strike members of the deer family (Cervidae) is believed to always be fatal CWD is a type of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy like BSE (‘mad cow disease’) but no cases of transmission to humans have been confirmed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns hunters in areas where the illness has been found not to consume parts of deer and elk that may harbour the disease Evira says there is no danger from eating meat from members of the deer family in Finland and it plans no restrictions on the sale or export of such products As a precaution it is suspending exports of live deer although semi- domesticated reindeer do roam freely over the borders between northern Finland the only cases of CWD found in Europe have been in Norway since 2016 Finland and five other EU countries launched stepped-up monitoring of possible cases of the illness The form of the disease identified in Kuhmo is the same as in Norway which is found incidentally in individual animals of the deer family rather than the transmissible form that is common in Canada and the US Some 2500 samples have been checked for the disease in Finland since 2003 Evira says that monitoring of the disease will be intensified in the Kuhmo and Kainuu region Hunters will be provided with guidelines before the next hunting season as needed Director of the Finnish Reindeer Herders Association tells Yle that her group is concerned about the impact on its industry but there’s no point in starting to panic,” she says Image: Juha Metso/All Over PressYle News28.1.2022 18:50The Administrative Court of Northern Finland has prohibited the use of two exemptions to a ban on hunting wolves in the Kuhmo Saunajärvi region of eastern Finland and the Siikajoki area on the western coast The Finnish Wildlife Agency issued the hunting exemptions at the end of December as authorities aim to cull a total of 18 wolves this year Saunajärvi and Siikajoki were two of four regions to receive the exemptions to the nationwide ban on the hunting of wolves which permitted the killing of eight wolves in the Saunajärvi area and two in Siikajoki The exemptions had been granted for the period from 1 to 15 February 2022 but the court's decision means that no wolves can be hunted in either region unless the ruling is overturned An Administrative Court in Turku has previously ruled that the exemption allowing the hunting of three wolves in the Somero region of southwest Finland cannot be used Ministry proposes cull of 20 wolvesPublished 20212021Hunting groups, dog owners warned of increased wolf populationPublished 20212021Wolf population growing especially in western Finland, 25% more packs than last yearPublished 20202020Sources: Yle